If you’re considering refinishing your oak kitchen cabinets, you should know that it’s a great way to breathe new life into old cabinets. But not everyone knows that oak is one of the most durable types of wood and can last for decades if it’s well-cared for.
While kitchen cabinet painting might seem like a scary idea, it’s really just another way to preserve what you already have.
The best part about refinishing is that you don’t need to replace any parts (like handles or drawers). Instead, you can keep everything in place and just update its appearance with a fresh coat of paint or stain! The process takes time and some work, but the results are well worth it.
If you apply the right coat of paint to your kitchen cabinets, your kitchen renovation will run smoothly. Changing the overall look of your kitchen can be an easy process, but only if you right the paint and primer. A fresh coat of paint on oak cabinets might be just what your kitchen needs to revamp it. Refinishing kitchen cabinets that are oak is a common choice for many homeowners. For a great presentation of oak kitchen cabinets, follow these steps.
How to Update Oak or Wood Cabinets
Here’s a quick guide to updating your oak cabinets:
- Clean the cabinets with a damp cloth and warm water to remove any dirt or grease that has built up over time.
- Sand any rough areas on the cabinet doors, such as corners or edges where two pieces of wood come together. This will make sure there is a smooth surface for applying paint or primer.
- Apply a wood filler to any cracks or holes in the cabinets. Use a putty knife to smooth out any areas that are not smooth, such as where two pieces of wood meet. This will make sure that your paint or primer adheres properly and doesn’t peel off later on.
- Apply a primer and allow it to dry completely before continuing with the paint colour of your choice. Pre-stain wood conditioner is another option for oak cabinets; this will help protect them from moisture damage and encourage stain absorption.
- Follow the directions on your paint or primer to apply a coat of either product in an area about twice as big as you think you need since it will dry faster than you can apply it.
- Let the paint or primer dry overnight before applying another coat.
- Once all coats are completely dry, lightly sand the surface with fine sandpaper to give it a smooth finish once again.
The Benefits of Refinishing Oak Cabinets vs Refacing Cabinets
- Cost – Kitchen cabinet painting as well as kitchen cabinet refinishing are the more economical options. Brand-new kitchen cabinets in Toronto can be quite pricey, so it’s the less expensive option to simply do cabinet refinishing and kitchen cabinet painting.
- Little disruption – Did you know that most professional painters who do kitchen cabinet refinishing, as well as kitchen cabinet painting, do so outside of your home? The process is usually done off-site, so there is minimal disruption to your everyday life!
- Refinishing kitchen cabinets can show off your natural wood better – Kitchen cabinet refinishing is a great way to bring life back to your well-loved cupboards which might have seen better days.
- Painting kitchen cabinets means unlimited colours! – When you go the route of refinishing kitchen cupboards, there is simply an unlimited supply of different paint colour choices to choose from.
- Selling your home soon? Everyone looks at the kitchen! – Even if selling your home is far down the line, you will get a better return on your investment when you get cabinet refinishing done because everyone loves a beautiful kitchen!
Ideas To Modernize Oak Cabinets
A lot of people have oak cabinets in their homes. They are classic designs that will never go out of style, but they can also be very outdated. Here are some ideas to modernize your oak cabinets:
• Have your doors refinished with a stain that is darker than your current oak colour – this will add depth and make them look more interesting than just plain wood.
• Paint the cabinets with a high gloss finish.
• Use a darker colour on the bottom cabinets and lighter colours on top. This will make your kitchen look larger and more modern.
• Replace the handles with brushed nickel or chrome handles to give them a sleek new look. You could even get creative by adding contrasting coloured handles for an even more original design.
Below are some other tips for you to follow in refinishing oak kitchen cabinets...
Use Shellac For Oak Kitchen Cabinet Refinishing
Look to the White Pigmented Shellac Primer from Sherwin Williams because it tackles some of the issues surrounding refinishing kitchen cabinets. First, the shellac seals the grain and the consistency of pigmented shellac is that of a stain. This is great for penetrating the deep crevices of the grain that is noticeable in oak wood. The shellac, however, dries very fast. So, the best way is to use a sprayer device.
Spray the shellac using a 1.8mm tip. You could use a finer tip because compared to other primers, this is quite thin. When refinishing kitchen cabinets that are oak, work with one piece at a time. Do the details first, keep a wet edge, dab the corners, pull out from corners, and then roll the flats. Use a depleted roller on the sides. A great tip is to ensure your paint roller is wet so that it is ready for the next sections. Do not let the roller dry out. Lastly, shellac cleans up well with Methyl Hydrate.
Tannins
The big issue when refinishing kitchen cabinets to a solid finish is the yellow stains that go through the lacquer (otherwise known as Tannins). Tannins are natural dyes that originate from woods like oak and are an immediate issue when you are refinishing your oak cabinets to a white or off-white colour.
This is why the shellac primer comes in handy because nothing is better at dealing with oak tannin than pigmented shellac base primers.
Resurfacing Kitchen Cabinets: Sanding
You should sand your oak cabinets after the primer coats. You will need to sand down between the primer coats and the finish coats, but only if you want the grain of the oak to fully absorb the lacquer. Painting companies have realized that they use more effort to finish oak doors when in a darker colour, than if it was in an off-white or white colour. This is because the grain in lighter colours must be fully absorbed.
If not, black pit marks will appear in the deeper crevices of the grain. That is why you must sand between primer and finish coats so that the grain will level off. Lastly, it will also fill the deeper crevices with sanding dust and burnt in with the next coat of primer or lacquer.
Don’t Recoat Primers
For a fine and smooth finish, do not recoat primers before the suggested drying time. You should instead let the primer dry for at least a day before sanding. For your primer coat to work well, you will need to sand away fewer edges for it to leave a better build.
After finishing up with the shellac primer, you should use a lacquer-based primer product called surfacer. The surfacer (unlike the shellac) sands to a soft powder-like substance. Also, it will finish and seal in the grain, which is exactly what is needed.
Restaining Oak Kitchen Cabinets
Restaining will allow you to change the existing colour of your old kitchen cabinets. This is great for homeowners who want to change so that their kitchen looks fresher and more appealing. This particular process of refinishing kitchen cabinets involves a clear finish and an inexpensive coating to be applied. To re-stain your kitchen cabinets, you will need to strip down the old varnish using a remover chemical. Then, sand the wood to its bare state, and then apply the stain and two coats of varnish.
Resurfacing Kitchen Cabinets: Lacquer
What is lacquer? It is a wood finish that is available in a coloured or clear form. It dries either by the solvent’s evaporation or by a curing process. Both these methods will result in a durable finish. The sheen level ranges from matte to high gloss and can be polished to the desired feel and look. It can be found in various colours, is eco-friendly, and is fairly cost-effective. You can re-lacquer your kitchen cabinets at any time, with the help of experienced professional painters. They will make sure your kitchen cabinets are up to date with the latest trends and are modern (all to your liking). The benefits of re-lacquering are ease of application, a number of colours to pick from, and a strong, distinctive look.
Painting Kitchen Cabinets Cost
If you’re curious about kitchen cabinet painting costs or are looking to have your oak kitchen cabinets refinished, Home Painters Toronto can help you out. If you need refinishing and painting, our spray kitchen cabinet’s costs start at $2,995. Also, if you’re confused about paint colour, coloured kitchen cabinets are so on trend this season! It can be difficult to know which route to take in terms of interior painting colours. We can definitely help you out with a colour consultation to let you know interior colour trends for 2024 as well as the cost of painting kitchen cabinets professionally!
Don’t forget to check out our Pinterest page for all sorts of interior painting inspiration!
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